Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Brand Loyalty


iPhone 4
I soooo wanted to drink the Kool-Aid! Steve Jobs was Jim Jones and I wanted that iPhone 4. Didn't want to think about Antenna-gate or how the screen size is still the same or why video chat only works on wifi? I wanted to pinch my nose and down another 2yr bid with AT&T.


But, in the end, after numerous visits to the Apple store temple, I couldn't do the deed. Surrounded by zombies and ditto heads, I couldn't partake in their bliss. The new iPhone wasn't delivering on it's promise to "Change everything all over again". I've had this feeling before.


Democrats
Mr. Barak Obama is the iPhone 4 of the Democratic Party. Again, promised to change everything. I remember watching President Obama's speech at West Point. He was sending 3,000 more troops to W's war in Afghanistan. Apparently 8 years of troop deployments wasn't enough, more blood was needed for the arid soil.


But the zombies and ditto heads in the Democratic party would say "See, Obama is tough on terror. He has high resolution speeches and better apps than the Bush Administration." Again, I was lost. This is just like the old iPresident! Wars without end, erosion of civil liberties, only now the Patriot Act has a back facing camera and if you hold the Democratic rhetoric the wrong way, you lose clarity - the Democratic Death-grip.


This all brings me to the poignant question I want you to consider, is Brand Loyalty something intelligent people should be participating in? Whether is a device manufacturer or a political machine, if their aren't continually providing real value, then they don't deserve our support. Now here's the tough part, that means the real change we are looking for comes from us, not Apple or Obama. We have to make different choices and let the establishment follow.

Change is scary, but it doesn't have to be EVO.

Photo - African mask taken on iPhone 3GS with Hipstamatic app (John S, Alfred Infrared, Standard)